ALERT: Fuel scarcity COULD last till end of March

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country “could linger till the end of March”.

Tokunbo Korodo, south-west chairman of the union, made the disclosure in an interview with NAN in Lagos.

Korodo said from all indications, loading of petrol at both NNPC depots and private depots were very slow. He said if there was no improvement in loading the product by next week, the situation might be worse.

“The pace of loading of fuel at NNPC depots in Mosinmi and Ejigbo is very slow as most tankers drivers that wanted to load left the depots with nothing,” he said.

“Even at private depots where they sell above the ex-depot price, the pace of loading is very slow. Presently, we need massive loading of petrol nationwide to get over the present scarcity.

“I am imploring the government to improve on supply of fuel to all depots nationwide so that our tanker drivers can get the product and transport it to filling stations.”

Meanwhile, scarcity of petrol continued as queues of motorists persisted in few filling stations that were selling the product.

At the Mobil filling station in Orile, Lagos, motorists lamented waiting endlessly to buy petrol.

Samuel Johnson, a welder, said most filling stations were not selling inside jerry cans, adding that this had kept him out of job in the last two weeks.

Johnson appealed to government to compel attendants at filling stations to be selling to those with jerry cans if they could produce their identity cards.

He said the situation was further worsened because there had been no electricity supply in his place of work in the last two weeks.